A woman who swindled over $500,000 from her elderly uncle and forced him into a nursing home has pled guilty to the crime. Hadee Toledo, who fled the country, has now been extradited back to Miami-Dade County from Spain, just in time to answer to her charges this holiday season. Her son Italo Nelli is also caught up in the dirty business, having previously pleaded guilty to related charges last year.
While her 93-year-old uncle suffered from COVID-19 back in August 2020, Toledo took the opportunity to line her pockets, prosecutors told Local 10. With the forged power of attorney, she sold his Hialeah home and emptied his bank accounts, making a clean escape with the stolen funds. Nelli, her son, didn't just stand by; he benefitted with $5,000 and a Mercedes-Benz for his role in witnessing the forgery.
After her stint on the lam, Toledo is facing the music on home turf, with charges including elderly exploitation, organized scheme to defraud, and forgery. "Message there is: you can run but you can't hide," Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle emphasized in comments reported by NBC Miami. As part of the plea deal, Toledo got off with a slap on the wrist – six months' probation and a financial slap of $250,000 in restitution.
Despite the hefty sum stolen, Toledo won't be seeing the inside of a cell this Christmas, a notion that may not sit well with some. Her late victim, who passed away this September, was a 93-year-old man, vulnerable due to his illness and trust in family. Toledo gambled her freedom and, lost, only to receive a comparatively light sentence given the extent of her actions.
